Newcastle University

Project:

Facilitating participation in the design process at Seaham College

From February 2007 to April 2008
Project Leader(s): Pam Woolner
Staff: Jill Clark, Elaine Hall, Lucy Tiplady, Ulrike Thomas and Kate Wall
Sponsors: Durham County Council

Research Paradigm

This is a situated enquiry, where CfLaT researchers will work with members of the school community to investigate their experiences of their school and develop this understanding through innovative visual methods. The interaction itself, together with its results, will increase theoretical knowledge about learning environments, provide a foundation for the school’s involvement in its rebuild and add to the Local Authority’s understanding of the BSF process.

Research Methodology

The project will use a range of methods which draw heavily on visual and participatory traditions. The mix of approaches will enable the team to triangulate the perceptions of a range of participants, who will include students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff. This project will be centred around two days in school. On the first day, a team from CfLaT will work with groups of students, groups of teaching staff and groups of support staff on a mapping exercise which will enable users of the building to highlight areas of comfort and concern, to annotate and explain some of the strengths and weaknesses of the current arrangements and to move on from there to producing priority lists for the new buildings. The day will end with feedback sessions to mixed groups, so that early progress can be made in identifying areas of difference and commonality. The second day will follow on from an analysis of the data produced on the first day, which will be structured into a maximum of five key themes and will consist of smaller groups of students, teachers and other staff, working with the CfLaT team, in focus groups and, where appropriate, through mediated interviews (potentially using Pupil Views Templates) to explore these themes in greater depth. After these consultation days, a report will be produced for the school, focusing on priorities and action points to take to the architects.

References

Curtis, E. (2003). School Builders. Chichester, Wiley. DfES (2002). Schools for the Future:Designs for Learning Communities Building Bulletin 95, DfES document.

Dudek, M. (2000). Architecture of Schools. Oxford, Architectural Press.

Hall, E. and Wall, K. (2006) Schools Renaissance Evaluation. Design Council.

Higgins, S., Hall, E., Wall, K., Woolner, P., McCaughey, C. (2005) The Impact of School Environments: A literature review.. London: Design Council.

Woolner, P., Hall, E., Higgins,S., McCaughey, C., Wall, K. (2007a) A sound foundation? What we know about the impact of environments on learning and the implications for Building Schools for the Future.

Oxford Review of Education, 33(1), 47-70. Woolner, P., Hall, E., Wall, K., Dennison, D. (2007b) Getting together to improve the school environment: user consultation, participatory design and student voice.

Improving Schools (in press). Woolner, P.and Hall, E. (2006). Evaluating the Role of the Artist in Building Schools for the Future Woolner, P., Hall, E., Wall, K., Higgins, S., Blake, A. and McCaughey, C. (2005) School building programmes: motivations, consequences and implications. Reading: CfBT.